


Oh Christmas tree

by mrs_captain_rogers



Series: Mercer's Boarding House [3]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Decorating, F/F, F/M, Found Family, Gen, Holiday Traditions, M/M, Mercer’s boarding house, Nutcrackers, Ornaments, Winter’s Crest, boarding house, or perhaps Nott-crackers, tree decorating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-24 23:53:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22086592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrs_captain_rogers/pseuds/mrs_captain_rogers
Summary: The Mighty Nein spend a quiet evening decorating the tree and common spaces of Mercer’s Boarding house.
Relationships: Fjord/Jester Lavorre, Keg/Beauregard Lionett, Mollymauk Tealeaf/Caleb Widogast
Series: Mercer's Boarding House [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1600588
Comments: 3
Kudos: 40





	Oh Christmas tree

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be part of a 12 nights of Winters Crest series but I didn’t get the whole thing written. More to come and most likely more non holiday Mercer’s boarding house stuff To come as well. ENJOY!

The fireplace crackled and popped animatedly as the Mighty nein bustled around the large living room of Mercer boarding house. Snow drifted in through the open back door as Fjord, Jester, and Beau carried in boxes of decorations and lights. Kiri was perched in the rocking chair watching all the excitement and activity. “Christmas tree!” she cried excitedly in an oddly familiar male voice that none of them could exactly identify, Jester even going so far as to suggest it may be Mr. Mercer, their landlord. 

While Fjord and Beau set up the tree, Molly and Nott began sorting out through boxes of decorations. Each member of the Mercer house family had a small tote of their own personal holiday items while the boarding house itself had a larger collection of decorations and trinkets. 

“Nott, here’s your box,” Molly said sliding a beat up green plastic tote. The small goblin girl tore open the box and shrieked with delight. 

“My boys!” she cried, a nutcracker in each hand as she pulled them free. 

“Those things are so creepy. I don’t know why you insist on putting them up every year,” Beau said from her place elbows deep in the tree. Nott gasped dramatically, clutching a nutcracker to her chest. 

“Beauregard, how can you say such things of our Winter’s Crest vanguard? They keep our tree and stockings safe.” Even Caleb laughed with the others as Beau stuck her tongue out in Nott’s direction. 

“They’re still creepy.” 

Once the tree was up and the colorful, glittering lights filled its branches they began to hang ornaments. Cheerful music filled the space as they worked to decorate. Small glass balls of all colors, figures that spun or played music, even a few tiny nutcrackers, courtesy of Nott, filled the evergreen. Each member of the Nien hung their respective pride flags on the tree, gay, bi, trans, lesbian, all representing their own selves and loves. Half way through one of the house boxes, Molly pulled out a small, time worn, cardboard box. Inside lay eight small carved figures, five male and three female. 

“What are those Molly?” Jester asked accepting a female figure from him. It was painted with great detail and care. Brown hair, cute sweater, and a charming smile held her attention until Jester noticed the figure was holding a spiral lollipop. “They’re so cute, she almost seems familiar.”  
“Uh, Caleb dear, hang this one won’t you?” Molly said handing him one of the figures. Caleb’s fingers brushed over the figure, taking in the glasses, plaid shirt, and small stack of books held in its tiny hands.  
“Do we know where these came from?” he asked making his way over to the tree. Molly shook his head, the mistletoe Jester had managed to hang on his left horn sliding off. 

“They were in one of the house boxes, that’s all I know, but I don’t think I remember seeing them last year.” Yasha came over and accepted the figure he held up, a blonde female with a cap and playful expression. A rare smile spread across the barbarian’s lips as she saw the small sword the figure wore across her back. Molly already had another in the air, this one also female with a wild smile, ginger hair, and a sleeveless shirt. “Beau, come get this one.” 

The monk grinned staring down at the shape in her wrapped palm. “She seems pretty awesome.” Molly chuckled as he ruffled in the box some more, pulling out a male figure in a dark blue shirt with a silver star on his chest and a smile on his bearded face. 

“Fjord, catch,” he called tossing the ornament to his large friend. 

“Wonder what the star is for,” he said looking it over. “Whatever it is I’m sure it's the best.” Caduceus came closer peering into the box over Molly’s shoulder. 

“I can hang one if you’d like,” he offered seeing only a few figures remaining. Molly pulled one out, gazing at the small male shape for a long moment, taking in the blue hair, the kohl rimmed eyes, and the cocky smile, before handing it to Clay. It was the firbolg however that noticed the gem topped staff in the figure’s left hand and the peacock tattoo up its neck. As Caduceus turned, brows furrowed in thought, Molly spied yet another sprig of mistletoe tied into his long pink hair, no doubt Jester’s doing.

“Nott, you want to hang this one?” Molly asked holding out a short male figure with dark hair, a zany expression, and a flask nearly the size of itself. The goblin laughed and accepted the figure from his purple hand and scrambled to her feet to hang in. 

“It even kind of looks like my flask.” As he laughed at her remark the tiefling pulled the remaining figure from the box. It’s face was obscured by painted shadows from a hood and across the base were painted the words How do you want to do this? 

“I am Kiri?” a small voice said beside him causing Molly to look up from the shape. A soft smile pulled at his lips as the youngling gazed back at him with bright black eyes. 

“Why don’t you go hang this one up kiddo?” He said holding it out for her.

“Ok, ok, ok, ok,” she said in Jester’s voice before giggling and hurrying toward the tree, ornament in her feathered fingers. 

“Is that the last of them?” Fjord asked as he moved back to the boxes.  
“Last of that set. It’s so curious, it's almost like they were made for each of us or something.” He paused taking in Caleb’s puzzled gaze then swiped his hand through the air. “Eh, I think maybe I’ve just had too much eggnog.” 

Thoughts of the odd ornaments were quickly forgotten as they made quick work of finishing the decorations. Caleb and Caduceus were in the kitchen working on supper when Beau burst through the doorway, running at almost top speed, nearly wiping out when she hit the tile floor. 

“Get that thing away from me!” she cried scrambling to the other side of the island. Molly was hot on her heels, his tail nearly knocking a bowl of salad from Caleb’s hands. 

“What is go-” Clay’s question was cut short as Nott and Kiri followed in hot pursuit of the others with nutcrackers in hand. The young kenku shrieked with glee as she snapped the toy’s wooden teeth open and closed over and over. Nott had a look of absolute delight on her face. 

“She already bit my tail with that thing once. Get it away,” Molly said, cowering behind Beau. “Caleb, make her stop.” The wizard laughed at his boyfriend and set the salad down. 

“Nott, please stop torturing Molly and Beau, ja?” he said looking at his little friend. “Besides you’re teaching Kiri bad habits.” Nott laughed devilishly before setting the nutcracker down on the table and asking the child for hers. 

“Maybe, but it was totally worth it.”


End file.
